Volatile metabolomics and chemometric study provide insight into the formation of the characteristic cultivar aroma of Hemerocallis.

ABSTRACT

Due to its ornamental, edible, and medicinal value, Hemerocallis has been historically loved and used in China. However, the current understanding of the aromatic profiles of this flower is rather limited. This work aimed to evaluate and classify the aromatic profiles of Hemerocallis flowers from 10 cultivars, the volatiles of which were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Sensory evaluation, odor activity value and relative odor activity value calculations, and chemometric analysis were also performed, the result showed that a total of 81 volatile components were identified. Linalool, 3-furanmethanol, indole, phenylacetonitrile, nerolidol, benzaldehyde, nonanal, geranial, (E)-ß-ocimene, and volatile components specific to the different types were found to have an essential role in identifying these 10 varieties. The findings presented in this thesis add to our understanding of Hemerocallis.